iPhone series dominates the premium market across regions in 2021
A number of previous market survey data have shown that sales of various iPhone models in 2021 are very strong. Since the release of the iPhone 13 series, Apple has continued the strength of the previous generation of the iPhone 12 series in sales, and the high-end smartphone market will continue to grow in 2021, driving the shipment of Apple’s iPhone models to a certain extent.
The latest statistics from Counterpoint Research show that in 2021, the sales of the high-end smartphone market ($400 or more) will increase by 24% year on year, reaching an all-time high. In contrast, overall global smartphone sales will grow by 7% in 2021, significantly slower than the growth rate of the premium smartphone market. In addition, the high-end smartphone market accounted for 27% of global smartphone sales, the highest share ever.
The closest to Apple is Samsung, which ranks second in the rest of the world. The Galaxy S21 outperformed the previous Galaxy S20, while the Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series also had solid sales, especially in South Korea, North America, and Western Europe. However, due to the impact of supply shortages and the no longer updating the Galaxy Note series, the growth in other areas has been offset to some extent.
Driven by the iPhone 12 series and iPhone 13 series, the demand for 5G smartphones in the entire market is increasing, and support for 5G networks has now become a standard for high-end smartphones. However, 4G smartphones still have a place in this segment, driven by models such as Apple’s iPhone 11 and Samsung’s Galaxy S20 FE. However, as major brands release new models, the proportion of 5G smartphones will continue to rise.
